$10 Million Clinic Planned For Sunrise

Targeting the Medicare-rich condominiums and well-insured suburbs of west Broward, the tax-subsidized North Broward Hospital District on Wednesday promised to build a $10 million clinic in Sunrise.

Some hospital commissioners worried that the clinic is too costly for the district to swallow now, but a 4-3 majority said it will bring an urgent care unit, diagnostic tests and doctors to an area light on medical care.

"I'm sure this will be a profit maker, and we as a public hospital system have to serve the population out there," said Commissioner Harold Wishna, who has pushed hardest for the project and whose term on the board expires next month.

Some in west Broward have complained that the district collects millions in property taxes in Sunrise while its only service in the area is a small physician office.

"We have one pressing need, and that's medical care," Mayor Steve Feren told the board. "There's no hospital in the city for [residents] to have allegiance to."

The new clinic would be built on Pine Island Road just south of Oakland Park Boulevard, a two-minute shuttle bus ride from the sprawling Sunrise Lakes condo community.

Two condo leaders said they have heard no complaints about a shortage of health care. Florida Medical Center in Lauderdale Lakes, Westside Regional Medical Center in Plantation and University Hospital in Tamarac are within about three miles of the clinic location.

But they predicted that residents would use it and benefit from it.

"They're a little long in years and they are prone to heart attacks and seizures and things that need instant care," said Herb Wilens, president of a board overseeing 20 condo buildings.

But the Sunrise clinic would have no emergency room, only care for minor emergencies. It would be a smaller version of a $27 million center the district is building in Weston although it could be expanded later.

Three hospital commissioners said taking on another project may put too much financial pressure on the district during an iffy time. The district plans for a $15 million surplus this year but is running $9.3 million behind. Plus, Medicare payments are expected to drop.

"We don't have a real healthy financial statement at this time," board Chairman T. Edward Benton said. "I want to make sure we're in line, and we're not putting too much on our plate."

In addition to the Weston project, the district plans to renovate Broward General Medical Center for $75 million to $125 million and has just finished an $8 million clinic in Fort Lauderdale. Three other hospitals need some renovations.

"What's the rush? Maybe this isn't the right time for this," Commissioner Emmett McTigue said.

Other officials said the clinic is projected to make six-figure profits each year, mainly through tests, although Benton said past projections have proven to be overly optimistic.

Other commissioners were confident the money would work out.

"The need is there. Why wait? If we don't put it there, someone else will," said Commissioner Amadeo "Trinchi" Trinchitella.

The land for the clinic would cost about $3 million to be bought from the family of Broward Circuit Judge John A. Frusciante and a trust belonging to Norman Getson.

The district already owns 15 acres about two miles north of the proposed site, on Pine Island at Commercial Boulevard. But officials said it is too far from a dense population and will be sold for about $4 million to help pay for the new clinic.

Commissioner Annie Weaver said, "This is a risk worth taking."

Bob LaMendola can be reached at blamendola@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4526.